Chapter 141: The Battle Between Hokage Begins

The moment Senju Hashirama was summoned via Impure World Reincarnation, Orochimaru's expression changed.

He gritted his teeth and said, "Yamanaka Chujiu, the First Hokage's Impure World Reincarnation... has gone out of control."

Yamanaka Chujiu: "Huh?"

"Are we going to run away?"

Orochimaru: "It's not that serious; the First Hokage took control of it himself."

Yamanaka Chujiu: "Oh, that's a relief."

Then he realized what was happening and looked at Orochimaru curiously: "Teacher Orochimaru, as a scientist, how could you not have left any backdoors or control systems?"

"Isn't that a professional habit for all scientists?"

Orochimaru gave an awkward smile: "Why would you think I didn't set up a backdoor, you brat?"

"It's just that the sacrifice I used this time was too strong, and the First Hokage doesn't want to play along with me anymore..."

As he spoke, the First Hokage pushed open the coffin lid himself and said with a smile to the master and apprentice: "Keep it down, don't let Tobirama hear you, otherwise we won't be able to hear what he and his disciples are saying."

"My little brother's serious look is too amusing, and the way Monkey and the others are acting so awkward is also funny; it's much more interesting than the Daimyo's Noh and Kyogen plays."

Orochimaru: "..."

Yamanaka Chujiu: "..."

Legend says the First Hokage is a goofball; I didn't expect it to be true.

Being a goofball is one thing, but the fact that the goofball is the Ninja World's greatest idealist—that is truly lethal!

Second Hokage, Senior Madara Uchiha, you two have really had it rough...

While the First Hokage hid behind the coffin, joking around with the two younger-generation Konoha Ninja, the conversation from the battlefield kept drifting over.

Slowly, Senju Hashirama's smile vanished, and his aura shifted from goofy and comical to incomparably sharp.

That was the pressure of the undisputed hegemon of the Ninja World.

Even a genius as arrogant as Orochimaru dared not even breathe loudly in front of a serious Senju Hashirama.

Sarutobi Hiruzen, Utatane Koharu, and Mitokado Homura stood in a tripod formation, resolutely confronting their teacher, seeking to protect their own families' interests and their rule over Konohagakure.

But when Senju Hashirama appeared behind Senju Tobirama, the pressure belonging to the hegemon of the Ninja World slammed down like an invisible giant wave, and the three of them instantly froze in place.

They felt their hearts being tightly gripped by an invisible hand, and every beat was a struggle.

Sarutobi Hiruzen exhaled with difficulty, bit his finger hard, and performed the Summoning Technique.

Accompanied by thick smoke, Enma appeared on the battlefield.

The ape laughed out loud: "Hiruzen, it's been a long time since you summoned me. The opponent this time is... the First Hokage! The Second Hokage!!"

Sarutobi Hiruzen sighed: "Enma, the opponent this time is very difficult, please help me!"

Enma stammered: "Bu-but this is the First Hokage, ho-how can we possibly win?"

"And why are you fighting them?"

"Wait, didn't they die? How can they be resurrected?"

Sarutobi Hiruzen said: "The First and Second are not resurrected; they were forcibly summoned from the Pure Land by Orochimaru using the Forbidden Jutsu, Impure World Reincarnation."

Enma breathed a sigh of relief: "So that's it. Evil acts that disturb the dead are absolutely unforgivable."

"Hiruzen, I'll help you!"

Poof!

Enma transformed into a thick Adamantine Staff and landed in Sarutobi Hiruzen's hand.

Sarutobi Hiruzen also shed his Hokage Haori, revealing a suit of armor meant for battle, and gripped the Adamantine Staff tightly.

His chakra surged and boiled, and his gaze turned as cold as a blade.

Now he had made up his mind; today he had no way out. He must either send the two Hokage back to the Pure Land, kill Orochimaru and Yamanaka Chujiu, and safeguard the glory of the Sarutobi Clan and his own authority.

Or he would die in battle right here, and the reputation he had spent his life building, the decades of effort by the Sarutobi Clan, and the power of the Hokage would all vanish into nothingness.

Things could be done this way, but the words absolutely could not be spoken truthfully.

Sarutobi Hiruzen shouted: "For Konohagakure!"

"Even if the opponents are the legendary First Hokage and Second Hokage, even if we have to pay the price with our lives, we will never waver in the slightest."

Sarutobi Hiruzen did not retreat, and Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura finally decided to gamble with him.

Their eyes became firm because they believed Sarutobi Hiruzen's words.

The First and Second were controlled by Orochimaru; their desperate fight today was not to protect family privileges, but to protect the order of Konoha.

As for whether it was true, that didn't matter.

As long as they could win this battle, all the blame would fall on Orochimaru.

Senju Tobirama sneered repeatedly, and the last shred of tenderness vanished completely.

Water-style chakra swirled around the Second Hokage, his cold killing intent locking onto Sarutobi Hiruzen.

He truly intended to kill!

Senju Hashirama remained calm and gentle, even his chakra was calm and waveless, but the pressure belonging to the God of Shinobi grew heavier and heavier.

He shook his head and sighed: "Monkey, you have grown old, and you have become hypocritical and unable to distinguish right from wrong. You truly disappoint me."

Orochimaru and Yamanaka Chujiu remained outside the battlefield, watching the two sides confronting each other with calm expressions.

The First Hokage was angry; Sarutobi Hiruzen's corrupt rule would surely end today. Having been in close contact with Senju Hashirama, they were certain of this.

Yamanaka Chujiu had already begun to consider how to eliminate the negative impact, how to integrate the economies of the Land of Water and the Land of Fire, and how to rebuild the First Hokage's ideals and beliefs.

Orochimaru still had feelings for Sarutobi Hiruzen, so he shouted loudly: "Teacher Sarutobi, surrender!"

"You have used political maneuvering to control Konoha for years, favoring the Sarutobi, Utatane, and Mitokado clans while oppressing the ninja of other families, long ago betraying the original intent and ideals with which the First Hokage founded Konoha."

"Today, I have brought the First Hokage and Second Hokage to Konohagakure; your rule is destined to collapse. Do not continue to resist stubbornly; give yourself a dignified exit."

Sarutobi Hiruzen roared: "Silence, Orochimaru!"

His voice made the surrounding air tremble slightly, and then he brandished the Adamantine Staff to launch the first attack.

At the same time, Mitokado Homura stomped his feet hard against the sea surface, his hands brushing across the scroll in front of his chest to perform Ninjutsu without hand seals:

"Earth Style: Doton: Doryuheki!"

A massive earth wall several zhang high and wide erupted from the sea surface with a boom, acting like a solid barrier to separate the First Hokage and the Second Hokage.

Utatane Koharu swung the Short Sword in her hand fiercely, carrying a sharp gust of wind as she slashed straight at Senju Tobirama's face: "I'm sorry, Teacher, this is all for the sake of Konohagakure!"

Senju Tobirama sneered incessantly and once again performed the Water Style: Water Dragon Bullet Technique.

A massive water dragon condensed and formed, its head held high, carrying a sky full of water mist as it sent Utatane Koharu spinning dizzily, slamming her toward Mitokado Homura like a cannonball.

Mitokado Homura was greatly alarmed; his right hand brushed across the scroll again, forcibly pulling up an Earth Style: Earth Wall on the water surface in front of him.

The earth wall caught Utatane Koharu, absorbed her into its interior, expelled her from the other side, and then blocked the incoming water dragon.

Boom—!

The deafening sound of the collision shook the heavens and the earth, and with the point of impact as the center, the giant waves raised by the shockwave spread in all directions.

Mitokado Homura was shaken into retreating repeatedly, his footsteps staggering, and a mouthful of blood spilled from the corner of his mouth.

If Sarutobi Hiruzen had not already rushed up to interrupt Senju Tobirama's Ninjutsu, he would inevitably have been sliced open by the Water Severing Wave that followed.